The nude lip has been a classic beauty go-to for decades, the anti-red in its quiet sensuality. A swipe of the right barely-there shade is the lip’s equivalent of tousled bedhead: Yeah, I rolled out of bed looking like this. That, of course, is the perfect nude scenario. But we’ve all seen it go horribly wrong: a shade or texture that’s not quite right can read more Walking Dead than runway ready. Thankfully, there are two new formulas that not only offer a combined 22 shades of nude, but also deliver two creamy, soft textures that guarantee a gorgeous lip. Maybelline New York Color Sensational Inti-Matte Nudes is a collection of 10 gorgeous warm, golden matte lipsticks, while NYX Professional Makeup Lip Lingerie is a creamy liquid lipstick that delivers a hint of sheen (and moisturizing vitamin E) and comes in a dozen lush nude shades. We asked makeup artist Jenna Anton how to make this “effortless” beauty look perfectly natural on everyone. And if you love the look of a monochromatic nude look, look here for more ideas.

Skin tone: Fair

Look for: A pale pinky nude, which adds a pinch of color so that you don’t look washed out. Think of it as your lip’s equivalent of a rosy cheek: Just a hint of natural pink to liven things up. This skin tone should always avoid lipsticks that are flat and opaque, since it can appear pasty—even ghoulish--on pale skin.

Skin tone: Medium

Look for: Beige or pink with a medium amount of pigment (read: not too light or sheer). Your skin tone has the most versatility when choosing a nude lip, so feel free to play around, just steer clear of orange tones, as they can create a sallow look.

Skin tone: Dark

Look for: Hints of gold and bronze shimmer to create a nude effect on naturally dark lips. Because you have so much natural pigment, infusing light and shimmer ensures they won’t look too opaque or heavy and adds light to the face.

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About the Author:Karina Giglio is a lifestyle, beauty and health writer whose work has appeared in numerous national publications including Women’s Health, Washingtonian, Ladies Home Journal, OK!, Allure, Fitness, Marie Claire, Bride’s and The New York Post. She was a regular contributor to makeup.com, and her articles and blog posts can be found on prevention.com, dailyglow.com, yahoo.com and huffingtonpost.com. Karina has worked onstaff at Cosmopolitan and YM, as well as being part of the original Sephora.com launch team